Trophic importance of kelp-derived suspended particulate matter in a through-flow sub-Antarctic system
Spatial dynamics of surface chlorophyll concentrations, diatom abundance and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures of surface suspended particulate matter (SPM) were investigated during a bloom event observed in March 2003 in the vicinity of the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands. The surfa...
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ftsealsdc:vital:6876 2024-09-15T17:47:40+00:00 Trophic importance of kelp-derived suspended particulate matter in a through-flow sub-Antarctic system Kaehler, Sven Pakhomov, Evgeny A Kalin, R M Davis, S 2006 6 pages pdf http://vital.seals.ac.za:8080/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:6876 http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011624 English eng vital:6876 http://vital.seals.ac.za:8080/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:6876 http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011624 Article 2006 ftsealsdc 2024-07-29T23:41:48Z Spatial dynamics of surface chlorophyll concentrations, diatom abundance and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures of surface suspended particulate matter (SPM) were investigated during a bloom event observed in March 2003 in the vicinity of the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands. The surface water composition was studied to estimate the overall importance and spatial extent of kelp derived SPM in the water column of the islands. It was observed that high chlorophyll concentrations (up to 2 mg m–3) between and downstream of the islands could not be explained by the development of the diatom bloom. Instead, microscopic and stable isotope analyses suggested that the chlorophyll signal was largely derived from the residual chlorophyll in fresh and decaying particles of small fragments of the kelp Macrocystis laevis, an endemic kelp species abundant along the shoreline of the islands. The findings of this study suggest that the dietary subsidy of kelp-derived carbon and nitrogen to benthic communities and possibly the plankton is not limited to the vicinity of kelp beds, but rather is a widespread phenomenon between the islands. Due to the dominating unidirectional Antarctic Circumpolar Current, large quantities of kelp-derived SPM may be transported and utilised tens of kilometres downstream of the islands. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Prince Edward Islands SEALS Digital Commons (South East Academic Libraries System, South Africa) |
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Open Polar |
collection |
SEALS Digital Commons (South East Academic Libraries System, South Africa) |
op_collection_id |
ftsealsdc |
language |
English |
description |
Spatial dynamics of surface chlorophyll concentrations, diatom abundance and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures of surface suspended particulate matter (SPM) were investigated during a bloom event observed in March 2003 in the vicinity of the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands. The surface water composition was studied to estimate the overall importance and spatial extent of kelp derived SPM in the water column of the islands. It was observed that high chlorophyll concentrations (up to 2 mg m–3) between and downstream of the islands could not be explained by the development of the diatom bloom. Instead, microscopic and stable isotope analyses suggested that the chlorophyll signal was largely derived from the residual chlorophyll in fresh and decaying particles of small fragments of the kelp Macrocystis laevis, an endemic kelp species abundant along the shoreline of the islands. The findings of this study suggest that the dietary subsidy of kelp-derived carbon and nitrogen to benthic communities and possibly the plankton is not limited to the vicinity of kelp beds, but rather is a widespread phenomenon between the islands. Due to the dominating unidirectional Antarctic Circumpolar Current, large quantities of kelp-derived SPM may be transported and utilised tens of kilometres downstream of the islands. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kaehler, Sven Pakhomov, Evgeny A Kalin, R M Davis, S |
spellingShingle |
Kaehler, Sven Pakhomov, Evgeny A Kalin, R M Davis, S Trophic importance of kelp-derived suspended particulate matter in a through-flow sub-Antarctic system |
author_facet |
Kaehler, Sven Pakhomov, Evgeny A Kalin, R M Davis, S |
author_sort |
Kaehler, Sven |
title |
Trophic importance of kelp-derived suspended particulate matter in a through-flow sub-Antarctic system |
title_short |
Trophic importance of kelp-derived suspended particulate matter in a through-flow sub-Antarctic system |
title_full |
Trophic importance of kelp-derived suspended particulate matter in a through-flow sub-Antarctic system |
title_fullStr |
Trophic importance of kelp-derived suspended particulate matter in a through-flow sub-Antarctic system |
title_full_unstemmed |
Trophic importance of kelp-derived suspended particulate matter in a through-flow sub-Antarctic system |
title_sort |
trophic importance of kelp-derived suspended particulate matter in a through-flow sub-antarctic system |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
http://vital.seals.ac.za:8080/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:6876 http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011624 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Prince Edward Islands |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Prince Edward Islands |
op_relation |
vital:6876 http://vital.seals.ac.za:8080/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:6876 http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011624 |
_version_ |
1810497137584111616 |